90
90
Sep 12, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 90
favorite 0
quote 0
consulate in benghazi, libya. can you update us? >> it's my understanding there were nearly two dozen armed individuals that coordinated explosions and other things. this is the same site that was attacked with an ied about a month or so ago. very, very concerning, and it's concerning that this is a repeat target for them and that this may have been more successful because of the large scale of it. so it's, again, very, very concerning. we have seen al qaeda elements in libya spring up, as we have seen in tunisia, as well. all of that is concerning. we still don't know for certain yet, as i speak to you today or tonight, who is responsible and who's claimed responsibility. so those details are still unfolding. >> it is a coincidence or not that this is the anniversary of 9/11? and we see not only what's going on in libya, but they were attacking the u.s. embassy in cairo, as well on this day. is there a connection here? >> well, from what i have been led to believe as i stand here, there's no connection yet identified after the coor
consulate in benghazi, libya. can you update us? >> it's my understanding there were nearly two dozen armed individuals that coordinated explosions and other things. this is the same site that was attacked with an ied about a month or so ago. very, very concerning, and it's concerning that this is a repeat target for them and that this may have been more successful because of the large scale of it. so it's, again, very, very concerning. we have seen al qaeda elements in libya spring up,...
124
124
Sep 29, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 124
favorite 0
quote 0
now, what will they gain by going to benghazi and taking the security risk. they may decide not to go at all. >> so just to be clear, we're not sure at this point where the breakdown occurred in terms of who -- i mean, whether it was the libyans, whether it was -- or state department, we don't know where the breakdown occurred. >> no, that's right. anderson, it could have been something as simple as this sort of -- when the interagency discussion, the u.s. government writ large decided that if that's what you're required for your perimeter security, that indicated itself it was too dangerous and that they shouldn't be bothered, they shouldn't go at all. it's not even clear to us yet whether or not this request was put to the libyan government. >> fran, you say not only fbi investigators not gone to benghazi yet, but that some are not even in libya. >> that's right. anderson, whenever there's an international terrorism investigation, there's a protocol where fbi agents with palletized cargo and equipment predeploy in the region to get closer. in this case, tha
now, what will they gain by going to benghazi and taking the security risk. they may decide not to go at all. >> so just to be clear, we're not sure at this point where the breakdown occurred in terms of who -- i mean, whether it was the libyans, whether it was -- or state department, we don't know where the breakdown occurred. >> no, that's right. anderson, it could have been something as simple as this sort of -- when the interagency discussion, the u.s. government writ large...
95
95
Sep 12, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 95
favorite 0
quote 0
is responsible, if it was coordinated, and if it was related at all to 9/11, and b, to the event in benghazi, libya. >> a lot of your colleagues, democrats and republicans, have said they're reconsidering supporting about $1. 5 billion a year in aid to egypt. are you amox those ready to pull the plug? >> you always have to ask yourself, is the united states and the national security better if we're gone completely or have a sphere of influence there? i do believe it ought to be leverage as we move forward and we have to get some commitments by this government that they're going to do more in sinai, less to provoke israel and make sure our u.s. embassies are protected fully by the egyptian government. it's unconscionable this could happen on their watch. so it needs to be a point of discussion. we need to be careful about starting to pull out of places that we don't understand the changes that are happening and we don't understand the intelligence and military roles yet and what this muslim brotherhood is trying to do. we should walk into that decision, not run into it. >> speaking of israel,
is responsible, if it was coordinated, and if it was related at all to 9/11, and b, to the event in benghazi, libya. >> a lot of your colleagues, democrats and republicans, have said they're reconsidering supporting about $1. 5 billion a year in aid to egypt. are you amox those ready to pull the plug? >> you always have to ask yourself, is the united states and the national security better if we're gone completely or have a sphere of influence there? i do believe it ought to be...
338
338
Sep 29, 2012
09/12
by
CNNW
tv
eye 338
favorite 0
quote 0
so there was military protection to go into benghazi, why didn't they get it? >> the answer to the question is not really clear. so it's not unusual, when you want to set up a security perimeter, you may look to the host country. if the host country is unable or unwilling to prode it, we don't know what the answer to that is, you may ask if you think you need it for u.s. military support, but that's got to go through a process. it needs state department and nsc support, the u.s. military would have to make an assessment about how big a security package that would entail and lastly, and perhaps most importantly, you need host government. the libyan government in this case, support to allow u.s. military boots on the ground to provide sort of the defensive security perimeter around the benghazi compound. now, i spoke to a senior administration official who said they have been having regular meetings twice daily, secure video teleconferences on updates of the investigation. there has been regular deputies committee meetings hosted by dennis mcdonough, the deputy n
so there was military protection to go into benghazi, why didn't they get it? >> the answer to the question is not really clear. so it's not unusual, when you want to set up a security perimeter, you may look to the host country. if the host country is unable or unwilling to prode it, we don't know what the answer to that is, you may ask if you think you need it for u.s. military support, but that's got to go through a process. it needs state department and nsc support, the u.s. military...
144
144
Sep 15, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 144
favorite 0
quote 0
consulate on benghazi. he was talking about this stupid film. and he's got a history of drawing attention to these kinds of things and these have produced very violent reactions in afghanistan. so far we haven't seen that, but last year no one was paying attention to the pastor when he bernd the kuran. >> it's interesting because president morsi of egypt also in his initial statement, he didn't condemn the effort to sack the embassy in cairo, he condemned the film. it took a phone call from the president of the united states to get him to change his statements. but ben wedeman just told us, the egyptian government in public in english is different than arabic. they're going after the u.s. they're saying that, they're really going after president obama, if you will, as well. it's one thing to say something in english, another thing to say something to your own people in arabic. how should we read this? >> well, i mean, it's quite disturbing. but i think president morsi in egypt doesn't claim to be a close ally of the united states. and in fact, t
consulate on benghazi. he was talking about this stupid film. and he's got a history of drawing attention to these kinds of things and these have produced very violent reactions in afghanistan. so far we haven't seen that, but last year no one was paying attention to the pastor when he bernd the kuran. >> it's interesting because president morsi of egypt also in his initial statement, he didn't condemn the effort to sack the embassy in cairo, he condemned the film. it took a phone call...
102
102
Sep 12, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 102
favorite 0
quote 0
they are under attack by radical forces and someone in benghazi is dead. the state department says it doesn't have independent confirmation of that death. an eyewitness says that it began with an islamic radical group showing up to protest a group they called anti-muslim. the group is on consulate grounds. in cairo they were under protest with fund mentalist protesters camped out just outside the american embassy walls, outraged by the same video. they stormed the compounds and replacing them with black flags and islamic indescription on it all. embassy staffers left before the protest. a marine contingent on the grounds. and egyptian security forces nearby. cnn is on the ground in cairo and tripoli. and mona is a journalist on the phone from cairo and we have fran townsend, a cnn national security contributor and a member of the external advisory committee and she visited with libya with her employer, and i want to start with ian. you saw hundreds storming the u.s. embassy in cairo. who are these protesters exactly? how widespread is this anger? and what
they are under attack by radical forces and someone in benghazi is dead. the state department says it doesn't have independent confirmation of that death. an eyewitness says that it began with an islamic radical group showing up to protest a group they called anti-muslim. the group is on consulate grounds. in cairo they were under protest with fund mentalist protesters camped out just outside the american embassy walls, outraged by the same video. they stormed the compounds and replacing them...
219
219
Sep 20, 2012
09/12
by
CNNW
tv
eye 219
favorite 0
quote 0
but he suggested to me at some point to go to benghazi, to see for myself. so i think he understood very well the increasing concern about extremism, but he never did mention to me anything about his being on an al qaeda hit list. >> and as far as security goes there are so many situations that can seem so worrisome and not just in libya. fran, thank you. appreciate your insight this morning. thanks so much. >>> the death of ambassador stevens, just the beginning, in fact, politically speaking. the white house's top brass now about to brief congress on the volatile and deadly situation that's unfolding right now. we've had violent clashes erupting from north africa throughout the middle east and southeast asia. this is a glimpse of the hot spots on your map in front of you. of these explosive attacks, there have also been suicide bombings. anti-american sentiments have been unleashed mostly because of that anti-islam film, if you want to call it that, movie, piece of tape, youtube clip. members of the house and senate are now about to get the briefing from s
but he suggested to me at some point to go to benghazi, to see for myself. so i think he understood very well the increasing concern about extremism, but he never did mention to me anything about his being on an al qaeda hit list. >> and as far as security goes there are so many situations that can seem so worrisome and not just in libya. fran, thank you. appreciate your insight this morning. thanks so much. >>> the death of ambassador stevens, just the beginning, in fact,...
206
206
Sep 14, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 206
favorite 0
quote 0
consulate in benghazi, libya. arwa damon is where it all started in benghazi. what's the latest, arwa? what's going on? >> reporter: well, at this point in time the situation in benghazi is incredibly tense. everyone who we've been speaking to really expressing their outrage, their horror at what took place. but also demanding that the libyan government take concrete action to try to bring about an end to these armed militias effectively that operate with pretty much complete and total immunity. we were touring the site of the consulate earlier today. and there we saw the country's president, the head of the national council -- congress, rather. he was saying at this point in time the government doesn't necessarily have the capabilities to reign these individuals or militias in. and this is of course of growing concern for the population and all the international observers. if the current libyan government is not capable of taking these weapons off the streets, of controlling these extremist groups, one can only imagine what the future of this country is going
consulate in benghazi, libya. arwa damon is where it all started in benghazi. what's the latest, arwa? what's going on? >> reporter: well, at this point in time the situation in benghazi is incredibly tense. everyone who we've been speaking to really expressing their outrage, their horror at what took place. but also demanding that the libyan government take concrete action to try to bring about an end to these armed militias effectively that operate with pretty much complete and total...
248
248
Sep 12, 2012
09/12
by
CNNW
tv
eye 248
favorite 0
quote 0
put benghazi on notice that he's on his way to benghazi to hunt the people of benghazi to hunt them down, house by house, street by street, alleyway by alleyway, as he put it. and then this fine -- devoted his life to this region being gunned downindeed. we don't know who is responsible. we've heard various speculation. the chairman of the house intelligence committee thinks it has some fingerprints of al qaeda or at least al qaeda-inspired affiliate operation. what do you think? >> you know, wolf, i think we have to remember that al qaeda had deep presence, actually, in libya, and we go back to the infiltration of al qaeda into iraq a while ago. a few years ago. what we learned when the americans got the documents, the computer records of the jihadists, they captured records and what they learned is the largest group of jihadists came from saudi arabia. the second largest group came from libya. so there has always been an al qaeda presence in libya. there was a presence that gadhafi occasionally used in the fashion of the dictators of the arab world. they could wink at terrorism wh
put benghazi on notice that he's on his way to benghazi to hunt the people of benghazi to hunt them down, house by house, street by street, alleyway by alleyway, as he put it. and then this fine -- devoted his life to this region being gunned downindeed. we don't know who is responsible. we've heard various speculation. the chairman of the house intelligence committee thinks it has some fingerprints of al qaeda or at least al qaeda-inspired affiliate operation. what do you think? >> you...
207
207
Sep 13, 2012
09/12
by
CNNW
tv
eye 207
favorite 0
quote 0
consulate in benghazi. let's go live to our pentagon correspondent chris lawrence getting new details on what's going on. chris, what are you learning? >> yeah, wolf, just in the past few hours libya's own prime minister told cnn's own christiane amonopore have arrested one man. he is currently being interrogated. and libyan authorities say they have several others under surveillance and more arrests may be on the way. meantime, u.s. intelligence officials say they are digging deeper and getting more information about who may have been behind this attack. at this point they say it does not appear to be a core al qaeda group, wolf. >> what does that mean? a core al chi da affiliate groups. what does that mean, a core al qaeda group? >> they think it's very possible that this could have been an al qaeda-inspired group. some group that is not directly affiliated with the hierarchy of al qaeda but does support the aims and ideals of al qaeda. >> and what about the u.s. warships, chris, that are heading toward l
consulate in benghazi. let's go live to our pentagon correspondent chris lawrence getting new details on what's going on. chris, what are you learning? >> yeah, wolf, just in the past few hours libya's own prime minister told cnn's own christiane amonopore have arrested one man. he is currently being interrogated. and libyan authorities say they have several others under surveillance and more arrests may be on the way. meantime, u.s. intelligence officials say they are digging deeper and...
125
125
Sep 23, 2012
09/12
by
FBC
tv
eye 125
favorite 0
quote 0
another version of exactly what went down in libya nearly two weeks ago. >> what happened in benghazi was a terrorist attack. >> the confusion started on september 12. >> no acts of terror what other shake this nation. >> top officials spent the next week insisting they could not say it was a terror attack and suggested it was more likely a spontaneous reaction to an anti-muslim film. >> in fact, this was not a preplanned, premeditated attack. >> i will not put labels on this until we have a complete investigation. >> our interest is in finding the facts of what happened, not taking what we have read in the newspaper in making bold assertions. >> even when carney flipped his thinking and told reporters it was self evident there was a terror attack within a couple of hours, the president was asked whether it was terror and would not directly answer. >> we are still doing an investigation. there will be different circumstances in different countries. i do not want to speak on anything until we have more information. >> the ping-pong answers coupled with a closed door briefing, the senat
another version of exactly what went down in libya nearly two weeks ago. >> what happened in benghazi was a terrorist attack. >> the confusion started on september 12. >> no acts of terror what other shake this nation. >> top officials spent the next week insisting they could not say it was a terror attack and suggested it was more likely a spontaneous reaction to an anti-muslim film. >> in fact, this was not a preplanned, premeditated attack. >> i will not...
103
103
Sep 27, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 103
favorite 0
quote 0
. >> haven't been on the ground in benghazi? >> no, they have no. the fbi has finally made it to tripoli, they haven't been on the ground in bengazi. they deployed their personal to a location in the region. they have conducted interviews of personnel who were there at the time of the attack. they've not been able to get -- gotten as far as tripoli, but not to benghazi. they made a request that the crime scene be secured. as we know from reporting, the state department -- we don't know whether that request was put to the libyans and whether that was denied. what happened to it. what we know for sure, the crime scene was never secured, and the senior law enforcement official i spoke to said if we get there now, it is not clear whether it will be of any use to us. and the third critical and astonishing point was, look, one of the things we have to do is question the individuals that the libyans have in custody to get to the bottom, to understand what they are learning and, in fact, they made that request through the state departme
. >> haven't been on the ground in benghazi? >> no, they have no. the fbi has finally made it to tripoli, they haven't been on the ground in bengazi. they deployed their personal to a location in the region. they have conducted interviews of personnel who were there at the time of the attack. they've not been able to get -- gotten as far as tripoli, but not to benghazi. they made a request that the crime scene be secured. as we know from reporting, the state department -- we don't...
144
144
Sep 25, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 144
favorite 0
quote 0
personnel in benghazi. we've got a lot to talk about tonight with former homeland security advisor fran townsend. as we often mention, fran's a member of the external advisory committee, and recently visited libya with her employer. also joining us, former cia officer bob baer. i don't want to get into the journalistic details with you, but there's no doubt, what do you make of the fact that this consulate in benghazi three days after the attack apparently wasn't being guarded and journalists are wandering all over the place, and anybody could have been wandering all over the place. >> anderson, lost in the dispute over the journal is the fact that this calls into question the integrity of what is now an fbi investigation. one of the first thing law enforcement officers do when they begin an investigation is secure the crime scene. first and foremost, this is the consulate. now, they were going to have challenges to that. the fbi couldn't get in because of security conditions. u.s. personnel, nonessential p
personnel in benghazi. we've got a lot to talk about tonight with former homeland security advisor fran townsend. as we often mention, fran's a member of the external advisory committee, and recently visited libya with her employer. also joining us, former cia officer bob baer. i don't want to get into the journalistic details with you, but there's no doubt, what do you make of the fact that this consulate in benghazi three days after the attack apparently wasn't being guarded and journalists...
138
138
Sep 20, 2012
09/12
by
CNNW
tv
eye 138
favorite 0
quote 0
are you saying president obama is benghazi? >> no, but i'm saying he's responsible for failure in afghanistan and iraq. iraq is now disintegrating, al qaeda is coming back. we didn't leave a residual force in afghanistan, he overruled his military advisers on several occasions, including 30,000 instead of 40,000 for the surge and accelerated withdrawal dates and now we have a situation where taliban and our enemies know we are leaving, and the whole premise, was to train afghans to turn over these responsibilities to them, and leave. now how can we train and work with these people if so many them are killing americans we can't even train and operate with them? by that policy, it has been an abject failure. >> we'll talk more with senator mccain about domestic issues a bit later in the program. first, bob baer and fran townsend. fran, served as a member of the cia external advisory committee, and last month visited libya with her employer, mccannkancan forbes. he said that there were security concerns. >> we had a long conversat
are you saying president obama is benghazi? >> no, but i'm saying he's responsible for failure in afghanistan and iraq. iraq is now disintegrating, al qaeda is coming back. we didn't leave a residual force in afghanistan, he overruled his military advisers on several occasions, including 30,000 instead of 40,000 for the surge and accelerated withdrawal dates and now we have a situation where taliban and our enemies know we are leaving, and the whole premise, was to train afghans to turn...
141
141
Sep 22, 2012
09/12
by
CNNW
tv
eye 141
favorite 0
quote 0
and of course, how easily manipulated. >> arwa damon in benghazi, be careful. fran, thank you very much. on wednesday we reported that a source familiar with ambassador stevens' thinking said in the months before his death, ambassador stevens talked about being worried about what he called the never-ending security threats in benghazi. we also reported that the ambassador specifically mentioned the rise in islamic extremism, the growing al qaeda presence in libya and said he was on an al qaeda hit list. the information for that report like all of cnn's reporting was carefully vetted. some ofat inrmation wa(dws found in a personal journal of ambassador stevens in his handwriting. we came upon the journal through our reporting and notified the family. at theirrequest, we returned that journal to them.=k we reported what we found newsworthy ithe we found newsworthy in the ambassador's wtings. let us know what you think. we're on faceboo follow me on twitter. i'm tweeting tonight. >>> up next, the attack's political fallout here at home. has president obama'sandlin
and of course, how easily manipulated. >> arwa damon in benghazi, be careful. fran, thank you very much. on wednesday we reported that a source familiar with ambassador stevens' thinking said in the months before his death, ambassador stevens talked about being worried about what he called the never-ending security threats in benghazi. we also reported that the ambassador specifically mentioned the rise in islamic extremism, the growing al qaeda presence in libya and said he was on an al...
147
147
Sep 15, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 147
favorite 0
quote 0
consulate in benghazi returned to the andrews air force base this afternoon. president obama was there and he vowed to bring justice to the men who killed them. >> even as voices of suspicious and mistrust that seek to devid countries and cultures, the united states of america will never retreat from the world. >> four people have been arrested in libya what were on the scene of the attack, but the government says they are not linked to the murders. that investigation continues and we have a live report on that now. arwa damon is with me from benghazi tonight and i know you had a chance to go to the consulate there. what did you see? >> reporter: it was really quite chilling, horrifying to be walking through some of the buildings there just imagining what had transpired, taken place. they were all burnt. there was black soot covering the walls. ashes over some of the furniture, the chandeliers. there was debris all over the floor. looters also had moved in after the attack took place pillaging this compound that even after the assault was not really secured bu
consulate in benghazi returned to the andrews air force base this afternoon. president obama was there and he vowed to bring justice to the men who killed them. >> even as voices of suspicious and mistrust that seek to devid countries and cultures, the united states of america will never retreat from the world. >> four people have been arrested in libya what were on the scene of the attack, but the government says they are not linked to the murders. that investigation continues and...
108
108
Sep 13, 2012
09/12
by
MSNBCW
tv
eye 108
favorite 0
quote 0
that attack also taking place in benghazi. and then a week after that, islamist militants attacked another consulate in benghazi, the consulate of tunisia. so, yes, there is that video, this crude, anti-muslim video which is the latest anti-muslim provocation causing protests and riots around the world. we will talk more about that later. but what happened last night in libya does not seem to be the spontaneous outburst of a crowd that had its sensitivities offended by religious provocation. it does not seem to have been that kind of violence, at least at this early date. that angry religious mob phenomenon is part of the relevant context for understanding how an american ambassador was killed last night. but it may also be just as relevant to put it in context, put it in the context of other terrorist attacks, organized terrorist attack on other u.s. embassies, like in kenya and tanzania in 1998. obviously, this is not on the same scale, but this may have been the same kind of target. you saw the president and the vice presid
that attack also taking place in benghazi. and then a week after that, islamist militants attacked another consulate in benghazi, the consulate of tunisia. so, yes, there is that video, this crude, anti-muslim video which is the latest anti-muslim provocation causing protests and riots around the world. we will talk more about that later. but what happened last night in libya does not seem to be the spontaneous outburst of a crowd that had its sensitivities offended by religious provocation. it...
120
120
Sep 13, 2012
09/12
by
CNN
tv
eye 120
favorite 0
quote 0
the attack in benghazi, libya. what more are we learning about the attacks and the measures the state department is trying to take to ensure the safety of its personnel left in benghazi, tripoli, and elsewhere? >> you have a couple of things, anderson. what they're trying to do is make sure the security of the people who are left, and that's only in tripoli, not in benghazi, is assured, so they're sending some marines. it's kind of like a quick reaction for us to the embassy in tripoli to beef that up. they're also notifying troops around the world that potentially they could be used in various ways to ensure the security of american personnel and then, of course, as you mentioned, you've got the destroyers. this would be the destroyers and the drones would be used more, let's say, if the president determined that it was a time to strike against whoever was the group that carried out this attack. >> and we'll have a look back at the life of the ambassador, a remarkable career. jill and jomana, we'll check in with y
the attack in benghazi, libya. what more are we learning about the attacks and the measures the state department is trying to take to ensure the safety of its personnel left in benghazi, tripoli, and elsewhere? >> you have a couple of things, anderson. what they're trying to do is make sure the security of the people who are left, and that's only in tripoli, not in benghazi, is assured, so they're sending some marines. it's kind of like a quick reaction for us to the embassy in tripoli to...
139
139
Sep 28, 2012
09/12
by
CNNW
tv
eye 139
favorite 0
quote 0
there are also other demonstrations also in benghazi. but he said that a senior libyan security official in tripoli told his mission that they were worried about the possibility of these protests turning violent tomorrow. but anderson, these are not anti-american or anti-western protests. they are protests, a continuation of what we saw in benghazi last friday, people taking to the streets, putting pressure on the government to disband militias and create security forces. they actually protest against extremism, but we did see these protests turn violent last friday and there is that concern that could happen tomorrow in tripoli. we did see the u.s. embassy this evening posting on its website a warning for u.s. citizens in tripoli and in benghazi who remain in country to avoid the two main squares in these cities because of the demonstrations, saying that while they are expected to be peaceful protests, that they can be unpredictable and could turn violent. >> bob, as i said earlier, we heard leon panetta, the defense secretary, using th
there are also other demonstrations also in benghazi. but he said that a senior libyan security official in tripoli told his mission that they were worried about the possibility of these protests turning violent tomorrow. but anderson, these are not anti-american or anti-western protests. they are protests, a continuation of what we saw in benghazi last friday, people taking to the streets, putting pressure on the government to disband militias and create security forces. they actually protest...
306
306
Sep 28, 2012
09/12
by
CNNW
tv
eye 306
favorite 0
quote 0
consulate in benghazi, libya. mr. chairman, thanks very much for coming in. is it true you're calling on the unit state ambassador to the united nations susan rice, to resign because of the comments she made on those five sunday talk shows? >> yes, wolf. i believe that this was such a failure of foreign policy message and leadership, such a misstatement of facts at the time and for her to go on all of those shows and in effect the spokesman for the world and be misinforming the american people and our allies and countries around the world, to me somebody has to pay the price for this. we have too much things go wrong and everyone forgets about it the next day. i think we have to send a clear message. on such an issue where an american ambassador was killed where by all the evidence at the time the presumption had to be it was terrorism. i can see why if they wanted to say - it was intentionally or unintly and to show the significance of that, i believe she should gn, yes. >> because there is statemt that the pokesperson, the director of public affairs for the
consulate in benghazi, libya. mr. chairman, thanks very much for coming in. is it true you're calling on the unit state ambassador to the united nations susan rice, to resign because of the comments she made on those five sunday talk shows? >> yes, wolf. i believe that this was such a failure of foreign policy message and leadership, such a misstatement of facts at the time and for her to go on all of those shows and in effect the spokesman for the world and be misinforming the american...